Antiskidding vehicle-wheel.



CLARK.

M. ANTISKIDDIN G VEHICLE WHEEL. APPLICATION Patented Mar. 7, 1911.

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E Baril IVIIELVILLIIE! CLARK, OF GHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

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ANTISKIDDING VEHICLE-WHEEL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. "Z, 194i.

Application led October 11, 1909. Serial No. 522,091.

l To all whom tt may concernl Be it known that I, MnLvrLLnOLARK, acitizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cookand State of Illinois, have invented new and useful lmprovements inAntiskidding Vehicle-Wheels,

f of which the following is a specification,

reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof.

The purpose of this invention is to provide'an improved construction ofvehicle wheels or tires for the same adapted to prevent side-slipping orskidding to which motor-.driven vehicles are liable on smooth orslippery pavements and soft roads.

It consists in the elements and features of constructionshown anddescribed as indicated lin the claims.

In the drawings:-Figure 1 is a partly sectional side elevation of aortion of a vehicle wheel tire provided with one form of this invention,section being made in plane transverse to the axis of the wheel. Fig. 2is a plan viewof the same. Figi?) is a perspective View oi one of thelink blocks. Fig. 4 shows a modified form ofthe device and is a sectionthrough two blocks and the connecting link at the planeof their pivotalconnection, showing such blocks and links disassembled and positionedfor illustrating the manner of assembling. Fig. 5 is a view l lowerpockets ed for the lodgment therein of blocks, 4, of

similar `to Fig. 4 showing the parts fully assembled. Fig. 6 is aperspective view of the block of the modifiedform represented in Figs. 4and 5 on a larger scale than said ures.

The drawings represent in a conventional way two pieces of an automobilewheel tire of ordinary construction, which comprises a comparativelythick and heavy solid rubber tread portion, 1,' which is to be armoredby the anti-skidding device constituting' this invention, and which forthat purpose is formed with a peripheral series of pockets, 2, which areconnected successively by shal- 3, the pockets, 2, belng adapttheanti-skidding device, and the pockets, 3,

for the lodgment ofthe links, 5, which connect consecutive blocks, 4.rihe blocks,

4,' are designed Vto be of metal, having their inner or bottom cornersand edges rounded,

asseen in Fig. 3, the pockets, 2, being simi- 'f'larly shaped to seatthe blocks, the outer edges and corners of the blocks being prefv,erably angular tor more positive engagethe blocks, 4, so as to make achain which` may extend around the entire periphery of the wheel, theblocks, 4, being lodged in the pockets, 2, and the connecting links, 5,being lodged in the pockets, 3. For connecting the blocks, 4,'and links,5, to make such continuous chain in the form shown in Figs. l, 2 and 3,the blocks have a T-shaped aperture, 7, the portion corresponding to thestem of the T opening at the middle point of the inner side edge of theblock, and the portion corresponding to the cross of the T extendinglongitudinally of the block, said aperture extending at all parts of theT form entirely through the block from side to side, its width beingsuch as to admit freely the cross bar of the links, 5, which are enteredone at a time through the T portion of the aperture, one link beingdrawn to one end and the other to the other end of the portion of 4,theaperture corresponding to the cross of the 'l'. A continuous chain maythus be assembled'madeup of the blocks, 4, alternating with the links,5, each of the latter beingv a completely closed link and therebyaffording. the maximum lstrength which can be aorded by the amount ofthematerial in such link. When this construction is employed, the chainwill be adapted for being connected endless about the wheel tire byhaving oneothe block links of special orm consisting of two parts, 7x,each of which is t.-shaped and has a transverse slot or notch, 7Y,leading from the interior angle Iof the E., obliquely toward theproximate end of the piece, the two pieces being adapted to be lappedand matched together and forming when thus matched a block of the samesize as the other block, 7 and being secured together by bolts, 10,taking through the two lapped members, the, links, 5, being 'entered inthe slots, 7Y, before the two members are thus lapped and securedtogether. The two opposite sides into the apertures, 7", in. the

blocks7 7C. ln order to adapt the links in this form to resist spreadingof their ends engaged with the consecutive blocks, they are preferablymade as shown with said ends slightly inturned so as to convergeslightly and form acute angles with the cross bar. The apertures, 7 b,in the block, 7 c, are formed extending at a correspondingly obliqueangle inward from the opposite surface of the block, and are furthersomewhat enlarged at their meeting point, so as to allow for the pivotalaction of the links in the blocks in applying and removing the chainfrom the wheel. These C-shaped link members may be engaged with theblocks inA a manner which may be understood from Figs. Il and 5; that isto say, both @shaped members of the link must be, introducedsimultaneously from opposite sides into both the blocks, 7, which theyconnect. When the chain thus assembled 'is lodged in the tire, theescape of the C-shaped link members is edectually prevented not only bythe fact that they lie in the pockets, 3, but by the further fact thatthe circumferential stress of the work operating on the obliquelyintur'ned ends of the link members makes it impossible for them ltospread, because such spreading must be accompanied by drawing togetherytof y,the blocks, 7. A

l claim alternating with and connected by links which comprise two sidebars which lap the adjacent ends of the blocks at opposite sidesthereof, and cross'bars which extend into the blocks and constitute the'pivots of the links to the'blocks, said link side bars being lodged insaid shallower pockets.

2. An anti-skidding armor for a wheel tire consisting of exteriorlyangular blocks and links which alternate with them and pivotvallyconnect them, said links each consisting of two-parts, each C-shaped,with the ends converging, the blocks having correspond- `ingly trendingapertures for engagement of said converging ends.

In testimony whereof, l have hereunto set my hand at Chicago, Illinois,thisr'th day of October, 1909.

' MELVILLE CLARK. Witnessesz' L; H. BALDWIN, M. G. Apr.

